State media issues correction after publishing racial slur

In this file photo from June 2012, Aung San Suu Kyi talks to Muslim leaders at the NLD head office in Rangoon as they appeal to her to intervene following a wave of anti-Muslim attacks in Arakan State. (PHOTO: Reuters)

Burmese state media has issued a retraction for the use of racially offensive language in its official appeal for calm after sectarian violence saw ten Muslims brutally killed by an angry mob on Sunday in Arakan state.

A government statement published in the New Light of Myanmar on Tuesday warned against “anarchic and lawless” acts, but attracted a virulent backlash for referring to the victims as “kalar” – a racial slur for Muslims or persons of Indian appearance.

In a correction published today, the government paper urged readers to refer to the victims as “Islamic residents”.

Dozens of people took to the streets in Rangoon yesterday to protest growing anti-Muslim violence and accused the government of fanning the flames of sectarian tensions. Political leaders and civil society groups appealed for calm and called on the government to issue an apology.

“The newspapers should not stoke this conflict. Are they trying to suggest that one race is more violent than others?” said ethnic Arakanese MP Aye Maung from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party.

Religious tensions have flared in Arakan state after three Muslim men were accused of the gang rape and murder of an ethnic Rakhine girl. It culminated in a bloody massacre on Sunday, when an angry mob set upon a bus filled with Muslim pilgrims and beat ten of them to death before setting the vehicle ablaze and defiling their corpses.

The violence has once again brought to the fore allegations of entrenched racism in Burmese society, particularly targeted against Muslims and the much-persecuted Rohingya minority group – dismissed as “illegal Bengali immigrants” by the government.

Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi today finally threw her voice into the debate, calling for the perpetrators to be held to account in accordance with the rule of law. She added that “the majority of the people in a society should have sympathy for the minority.”

“Maybe some people wouldn’t like me saying this but I have to say what I must say regardless of whether they like it or not. When you are the majority in a society, then you are the strong party. If you are strong then you must be generous and sympathetic. I would like to see all people in Burma get along with each other regardless of their religion and ethnicity.”

In the past, Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy has carefully steered clear of discussing Burma’s Muslim minority, especially the Rohingya, which is seen a hot-button political issue that risks alienating many of its supporters.

A joint statement issued by several Rohingya and human rights groups on Monday also called for religious tolerance and reconciliation.

“The government is fully responsible for the law and order situation in the whole country. It should not make the Muslims scapegoats, but it has full responsibility to protect the rights, honour and dignity of all citizens,” they said.

She is a goungshoung. She is expert at rhetoric. She avoids development because she has neither vision nor abolity. She has no idea about how microeconomics and macroeconomics interacts. She must resign.
She is ridiculous. Peace is her priority. We have peace mostly. Skirmishes are only in border regions.
Why not develop the economy in peaceful areas?

There are no question about the Burmese muslims rights same as other religious belivers of Burma .We lived in Burma entire life and we have evidance of history background. So the only thing have to start is investigation over that incident happened and witnesses with evidance from grass roots. If Rakhine buddhist thinking themself they are the origin of this land then let them behave as the good citizen for their land rather than other ethnics have to teach how to behave as a good citizen in society. At the same time I want to take this opportunity to tell the all Burmese , whether you are Buddhist,Muslim, Christian or any race please be careful Only Rakhine or Shan or Burmese muslim from Yangon can not make a Burma to be a good country and think deeply life in Burma is so poor for majority of Burmese because we are victim of Military dictator who still try to stir the problem with nasty old fashion games and we are no longer need to accept it. Be united to be a good country where everyone can enjoy the same rights each other as much as one can. I , personally have so much Arakan Buddhist friends who are very good manner in Yangon so the rest of the Arakan Buddhist from elsewhere could be good Arakan too. One Muslim Arakan family member’s irregular death is never make the One Buddhist Arakan( or anyone ). Think as yourself how you suffer once your beloved family away from you , and never let this things to be happened in the society becaseu it is SIN. One day ( today or tomorrow orrrrr after death must be punished for your dirty work. When the King of Arakan times there used to be the Muslim Kings and Buddhist kings also and there are no incident of religions or sectarian violence , IT IS THE HAND OF MILITARY RULER WHO HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO HANDLE THE COUNTRY SO THEY USE DIVIDING AMONG THE OWN PEOPLE. If you think good and mentally healthy peroson never kill others in this century ( in this civilised society ) , and nobody want to be killed without reason by anyone.

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Thursday, 24 May 2012
Rohingya Appeal to Suu Kyi
Source from Irrawaddy news, 24 May 2012

A Rohingya mother and her children carry water from a stream to their refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. (PHOTO: Reuters)

BANGKOK—An exiled Rohingya activist last night appealed to MPs and to National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi to assist the almost 2 million Rohingya living in Burma and elsewhere.

“I would like to ask our beloved Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to speak out of behalf of Rohingya people, and ask for the return of our lost rights, the rights our forefathers had,” said Maung Kyaw Nu, the president of the Burmese Rohingya Association of Thailand.

The Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic minority living mostly in western Burma’s Arakan State where they are denied Burmese citizenship, and subjected to various forms of discrimination: they generally have to wait two to three years for permits to marry; are usually prohibited from leaving the village where they live; and are subject to human rights and other abuses by local civil and military authorities.

When Rohingya couples do receive permission to marry, they must sign an agreement that they will not have more than two children. If a couple marries without official permission, the husband can be prosecuted and spend five years in detention—with Buthidaung jail in northern Arakan State thought to hold prisoners in this category.

However, the Rohingya say they were promised equal rights by Burma’s colonial-era independence heroes, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, Gen. Aung San, in return for their support in the struggle against British rule.

“In 1946 General Aung San visited my area,” said Maung Kyaw Nu. “He said to our people ‘I give you a blank cheque, please co-operate with me.'”

All told, around 750,000 Rohingya live in Burma, mostly in Arakan State in the country’s west, with an estimated 1…

In 1946 General Aung San visited my area,” said Maung Kyaw Nu. “He said to our people ‘I give you a blank cheque, please co-operate with me.'”

All told, around 750,000 Rohingya live in Burma, mostly in Arakan State in the country’s west, with an estimated 1 million more living in exile in Bangladesh, Malaysia, India and elsewhere—an exodus prompted by decades of human rights violations and discrimination.

Rohingya endure squalid and dangerous conditions in camps in Bangladesh and third countries, such is the oppression they face at home, say activists. Some Rohingya undertake a perilous sea journey to Thailand, where in 2009 Thai authorities were accused of pushing Rohingya boats out to sea and leaving the refugees to their fate on the open waters. Other Rohingya attempt get to Indonesia or Australia in search of a new life, including a group of 26 who were almost shipwrecked en route to Australia from Indonesia, subsequently helped to land in Timor-Leste by local fishermen.

The push factor could be increasing, according to Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson, who says relations between the Rohingya and the majority Buddhist Rakhine in the western region are deteriorating, even as Burma continues a recent glasnost. “While there are now some Rohingya MPs, some Buddhist Rakhine in the state assembly are raising issues for the Rohingya,” he said.

Phil Robertson says Burma’s treatment of the Rohingya and the country’s 100-plus other ethnic minorities is a litmus test for the government’s reform credentials. “Is there a place for the Rohingya in Burma?” he asked.

Thai photographer Suthep Kritsanavarin has visited the region. “Between the Rakhine and the Rohingya there is always tension,” he said, speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, where his exhibition “Stateless Rohingya: Running on Empty,” is on display.

Burma is scheduled to host a meeting of the Asean human rights commission from June 3-6. It…

Burma is scheduled to host a meeting of the Asean human rights commission from June 3-6. It seems unlikely that the Rohingya issue will be discussed at the get-together, as according to Phil Robertson, the Rohingya were not discussed during the commission’s last meeting in Bangkok.

A good and honest leader always think the right way and feel humanity for her or his all kind of nations.Daw Aung san suu kyi is like a Mother for Burmese all ethnic groups.We hope, so a mother judge on her kids equal justice.

The history is withness,So the Rakhine People always jealous and make the Rohingiya to feel slave.In this latest century thier thinking are not like humanity but they think narraw. Because thier leaders who are in abroad and inside of Burma teach them these kind of unhumanity lesson.This is not Religion issue this is only humanright issue that the Rakhine and Mility Government do not want to give thier own name with freedom.
if the rakhine people try to make Religion issue,so the muslims countries and other danger group of Muslims react on rakhine people,so it will be more danger,Rohingiya do not want the matter but always Rohingiya want peace,love and humanity.10 innocent rohingiya were killed by Rakhine and Government officers together then insulted the death bodies by urine and other ways,where is the justice and where is the humanity? However the Rohigiya who are strongly supporters of NLD are requesting at Government for justice and protection in future.

The term “Kalar” is a racial slur and is equivalent to the term” Nigga” used in the West ! Burmese people regardless of ethnic and background stop being ignorant , racist by using that term to describe Muslim ethnic Of Myanmar !

Only this picture is enough for those who has still racial hated.Whether Daw Suu is pretending or not , I am not sure but this picture say something special to those who do not know the value of communal harmony. Muslims are not only peace loving but also peace makers throughout the history and civilization. Civilization prevents us from killing, murdering, raping, hatred, jealousy etc., because it teaches us how to live, deal and cope the situations among multi-colored, multi-linguistic communities. Rakhines are still back-warded if we see their killing and murdering of human beings. No human being will accept this type of virulent, wild acts of Rakhine. Thein Sein’s government has to take full responsibility to bring the real culprits into the court of justice. If there is no court in Myanmar for those, but one day is coming very soon when they have to surrendered themselves without any escape. In all Myanmar schools and Universities, all religions should be taught to the multi-colored people if the government wants to bring a change. When they understand each other, they will respect each other. Myanmar needs to change its Academic textbooks for real reforms. I am giving this advice to the Ministry of Education of Republic of Myanmar. A country cannot be built with one specific group of people. There should have different people with various appearance to make the country into a harmonious community where majority people love the minorities and minorities respect the majority. Any appearance of a human or countryman cannot be a issue to cancel his or her nationality status. If it is done,it is against humanity,against International Human Rights law (1952. Myanmar is known as ‘Golden Land’ because of its diverse ethnicity and hospitality of the people. From where thes types of Rakhine came to Myanmar who do not think about the interest of the people and country’s sovereignty. Myanmar is now poor only because of this narrow-minded people who suddenly attack…

Amazing. This is the way it should be. We have to protect minority . Let them grow. They is part of our country. We share the same land and same country. We are all brothers and sisters. Unite in diversity. It is the strength of our country. Personal wish, it would be good to see Muslim, christian and other minority group participate in future development and building of our society and country.

IT IS THE HAND OF MILITARY RULER WHO HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO HANDLE THE COUNTRY SO THEY USE DIVIDING AMONG THE OWN PEOPLE.

What is this nonsense? always purposeful thinking, not seeing the bigger picture. shame on you. Previous had done many wrongs. It does not mean today military is same as former military.
Don’t let the sin of father visit the son.

And don’t forget Buddhism arose more than 500 years before Christ. And Islam rose in the 7th century. Nearly 13 centuries after Buddhism.

I fully agree with the support of Daw Suu and her guide lines to all community in Myanmar including Rohingya. We all must understand the country’s situation on the way changing to democracy. Everybody must be patient avoid crime against humanity. All religions either Buddhist or Muslim all are brothers and sisters from the same land and same country. Nobody should forget their past what happened well and be patient for what happened badly. Good things always bring peace and stability and bad things must be ignored and patient if we just need for good things in the future. By patient nothing to be loose and definitely we will get peace and stability in democracy that we all waiting for…

Do we need to pull Rohingya into this issue? Rohingya is an unresolved issue and will remain so till Burma truly become stable and proper immigration and civil laws are enacted. Victims in this horrible event are innocent burmese citizens and the thugs who attack them need to be punished by law.

I think main negative view that burmese majority having is their claim of being indigenous ethnic group when the word Rohingya does not exist longer than few decades back. This unfounded claim clash with other genuine ethnic groups like Arakan or Rakhines who really have strong historical root in that region. So, so call Rohingya group must stop pushing this ethnicity claim and try to push only for equal status as lawful citizens/immigrants/settlers. If laws for equality exist, there’s no need to be an ethnic to settle in a country. Ethnicity claim causes unnecessary confusion and suspicion given the violent history of that region.

It seems the Lady is completely out of step with Myanmar people. While I deplore the loss of innocent lives, one should not forget that the incident was triggered by rape and murder of a Rakhine Buddist girl. I also do not accept the term ‘minority’. The rapists and the Muslims in the photograph were not minority, they were migrants from Bangladesh or British India brought to Burma during British colonial rule. The Lady made a great mistake by meeting them.